Villaraigosa Appoints Arif Alikhan Deputy Mayor for Homeland Security & Public Safety

Los Angeles, CA: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa September 22 announced the appointment of Arif Alikhan to the position of Deputy Mayor for Homeland Security and Public Safety. Mr. Alikhan is currently a senior official with the United States Department of Justice where he has served for more than nine years in Los Angeles and Washington DC.
In his role as Deputy Mayor, he will oversee and advance all aspects of the Mayor’s criminal justice, emergency preparedness and counter-terrorism policy, serve as the principal liaison to federal, state and local law enforcement, and administer federal and state criminal justice and homeland security grants awarded to the City of Los Angeles.
He replaces departing Deputy Mayor Maurice Suh, who is returning to private practice. “Arif Alikhan is a prosecutor with results. He brings to this critical role a breadth and depth of experience and intellect that will serve our City well as we put 1,000 new police officers on the street, better prepare for emergencies and expand our counter-terrorism capabilities,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “Arif has been on the forefront of criminal justice issues and I look forward to him joining our team.”
Commenting on his appointment, United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales praised Arif’s accomplishments at the Department of Justice. "Arif Alikhan's appointment as Deputy Mayor for Homeland Security and Public Safety is outstanding news for the city of Los Angeles, though we will certainly miss having him as part of the Department of Justice team. Arif has served with distinction as both an Assistant US Attorney and as Vice Chairman of the Intellectual Property Task Force. His leadership within the Department has dramatically increased the profile of intellectual property and cyber crime issues, and he has been highly effective in overseeing the national Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (CHIP) Program.
"Arif leaves behind a legacy of hard work, innovative thinking, and dedication to the rule of law. These are characteristics that he will bring to his new position, and the city of Los Angeles will be fortunate to have him."
Mr. Alikhan began his legal career as a Judicial Law Clerk to US District Judge Ronald S.W. Lew in Los Angeles and then joined the Los Angeles law firm of Irell and Manella where he handled civil and white-collar criminal defense matters. In 1997, Mr. Alikhan joined the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles where he handled a wide variety of criminal matters as a federal prosecutor for over eight years. He received several awards from law enforcement agencies for his work and was recognized by the Department of Justice for his superior management and supervisory performance.
Mr. Alikhan was an adjunct professor of law at the University of Southern California Law School where he taught criminal procedure and has been a frequent lecturer at universities in the Southern California area.
Mr. Alikhan graduated with honors from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles in 1993 and was recognized by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the top California attorneys under the age of 40. He graduated cum laude from the University of California, Irvine in 1990 where he earned a degree in Social Ecology with an emphasis in Criminal Justice, Criminology and Legal Studies.

 

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